Frenzied 24 hours of campaigning in California

FRENZY: Tight races in both parties have campaigns revved

Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

Published
4:00 am PST, Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama greets supporters during a rally in East Rutherford, New Jersey, February 4, 2008 on the eve of the "Super Tuesday" primaries. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES) US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN 2008 (USA)
Ran on: 02-05-2008
Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, in East Rutherford, N.J., was the toast of a benefit concert by Grateful Dead members in S.F. less

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama greets supporters during a rally in East Rutherford, New Jersey, February 4, 2008 on the eve of the "Super Tuesday" primaries. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES) ... more

Photo: JASON REED

Photo: JASON REED

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Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama greets supporters during a rally in East Rutherford, New Jersey, February 4, 2008 on the eve of the "Super Tuesday" primaries. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES) US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN 2008 (USA)
Ran on: 02-05-2008
Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, in East Rutherford, N.J., was the toast of a benefit concert by Grateful Dead members in S.F. less

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama greets supporters during a rally in East Rutherford, New Jersey, February 4, 2008 on the eve of the "Super Tuesday" primaries. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES) ... more

Photo: JASON REED

Frenzied 24 hours of campaigning in California

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In the final 24 hours counting down to the most-contested California presidential primary in a generation, the Grateful Dead came back from the dead - well, almost - to campaign for Barack Obama, while Hillary Rodham Clinton's husband, the popular former president, crisscrossed the state.

And even the two leading GOP candidates, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, planned unexpected last-minute forays to Democratic-leaning California to pick up a share of the Golden State's treasure of GOP delegates on Super Tuesday.

The flurry of campaign activity reflected an extraordinarily tight and volatile race on both sides before today's contests in 24 states, including California - where 370 Democratic delegates and 170 Republican delegates are up for grabs.

The campaigning included former President Bill Clinton and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who held a "virtual town hall" meeting for Sen. Clinton at the Ferry Building on Monday - an event the campaign described as a national first. The New York senator, who broadcast from New York, took questions live from voters on the Hallmark Channel.

Obama's campaign held its own superstar event in the Bay Area: a rare reunion of the surviving members of the Grateful Dead at an event titled "Deadheads for Obama." The reunion of Bob Weir, Mickey Hart and Phil Lesh clearly hit a bull's-eye: Its $35 tickets, to raise funds for the Illinois senator's campaign, sold out in 20 minutes.

On the Republican side, the final hours showed a tightening of the race between McCain and Romney, which prompted both to make plans to return to the state. A Field Poll of state voters through Friday showed McCain leading by 8 points, but some of the latest polls suggest that his lead was softening.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former Secretary of State Bill Jones stumped the state for McCain on Monday. The Arizona senator is returning to California tonight for a brief stop in San Diego, home to many military personnel, to close out his Super Tuesday swing before heading back to Arizona, his home state, to take in returns.

But there is evidence that McCain's team might be trying to lower expectations and downplaying the importance of the Golden State, according to reports in Realclearpolitics.com. "We're going to do very well in the winner-take-all states in the Northeast," spokesman Brian Rogers told the Web site. "California is a tossup that, at the end of the day, doesn't really matter, (as long as) we pick up some delegates."

With the lion's share of the California GOP delegates awarded winner-take-all by congressional district, Romney's team says it's seizing on the opportunities. It brought Romney back to campaign in Long Beach Monday night to increase his visibility in potentially key conservative congressional districts in the Southland.

"It looks like we've got momentum on our side. We're building our lead," said campaign spokeswoman Sarah Pompeii. "Support is growing here because people realize that it's a two-man race - and that Gov. Romney understands the importance of California."

"He wants to take every opportunity he can to talk to California voters. And that's why he's coming back - to make sure everybody has an opportunity to hear from him," she said.

There were some clear glitches as candidates frantically tried to reach state voters to make appeals in the final hours.

Nieto said she was "glad they spent their money on me," but laughed that she wasn't sure they supported her family values: She married her longtime lesbian partner Jo Kenny in Massachusetts four years ago.

Moreover, Nieto - a former Democratic National Committee member - said she also got two electronic calls from Republican pollsters who wanted to know her preferences on the top GOP candidates.